What would be your spiritual legacy?

Academy award winning actor Paul Newman, who died last weekend, leaves a multimillion dollar Newman's Own Foundation based on profits from his food company. The funds go to children's camps, safe water projects and other social causes.

Few of us have a fortune for such a philanthropic legacy. I think of my mom (who thankfully is fine!) but will one day leave me with a shining example of a lifetime of volunteering for education and libraries.

Many people want to leave an account of what they value and why. They write out ethical or spiritual wills to share this legacy of values with the next generation.

You don't have to elderly or ill to be thinking about this. It might be part of your vision for how you want to live as well. For example, Jewish people are now celebrating the High Holidays beginning with Rosh Hashanah, considered the "birthday" of the world. For the next ten days Jews consider their year past and the year to come, mistakes and goals, as they prepare for Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.

If you could leave a spiritual legacy, a vision of how you want to exemplify the way to live, what would yours be?

Keep it short, if you can, as I find that really long responses tend to overwhelm newcomers to Idea Club.

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About Cathy Lynn Grossman

Cathy Lynn Grossman is too fidgety to meditate. But talking about visions and values, faith and ethics lights her up. Join in at Faith & Reason. More about Cathy.